


This is Diana

by ForLove



Series: But They Need a Home Too [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-27 23:58:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5069920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForLove/pseuds/ForLove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After regaining his grace and moving into the Bunker, Castiel has taken to adopting animals who need some help. His latest furry friend, a squirrel, reminds him of another Bunker resident. (Told from Dean's POV)</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is Diana

“What the hell? A squirrel?”

“Hello, Dean.” Cas looks up from his spot on the floor in the garage. “This is Diana.”

“Cas, that thing could have rabies.” Dean cringes, his arms flinching like he wants to approach Cas but is afraid to do so.

“It’s alright Dean. Diana hurt her paw,” Cas gestures at a little bandage on Diana’s hind foot. “I assure you she’s quite healthy otherwise.”

Dean hesitantly steps forward and slowly crouches next to Cas. As Diana hobbles toward him, Dean slowly extends a hand but stops just before reaching her. Cas gently touches Dean’s hand and guides it to Diana’s head. Their hands glide across the short space together. Dean silently laments the removal of Cas’s hand from his once they reach the squirrel. After gingerly petting her twice, Dean sits back on his haunches next to Cas.

“Why didn’t you just fix her foot with your mojo?” Dean asks in confusion.

“I asked.” Cas laughs a little, “But she seems to be as stubborn as you. She only let me bandage her.”

“That’s real nice of you Cas.” Dean’s hand rests on his knee as he wishes he could reach over hold Cas’s. A smirk flashes across Dean’s face as he stands and extends a hand to help Cas up. “Still early. Want some coffee?” 

Cas looks at Dean’s fingers and smiles at the gesture. “I would.” He takes Dean’s hand as he stands and holds it for a moment after.

“So, uh,” Dean’s heart races with Cas in his personal space. “What about Diana?”

“I don’t think she should have coffee, Dean.”

Dean snorts a laugh, “No I mean, is there somewhere she needs to go, to rest or something?”

“I found her just outside the garage.” Cas looks down at her then back at Dean, “She seems to just want to go back outside.”

Dean nods, meaning to step away and open the door to let her out but he stands staring at Cas a moment longer.

Diana squeaks and Dean is reminded of the task.

♡

In the kitchen Dean starts the coffee maker then sits across from Cas at the table. If he sticks his legs out a little too far and bumps his friend’s foot, that’s purely coincidental.

“How’s Frederick?” Dean’s still not sure about housing a skunk. Cas _says_ that there’s no danger of getting sprayed. But come on man, it’s still a wild animal even if it comes in a cute furry body.

“He’s progressing well. Baby animals grow quickly.” Cas looks down, and Dean thinks he almost sounds sad. “Frederick will not need me to care for him soon.”

The percolator softly sings while filling the room with an inviting sent. Dean looks down at Cas’s clasped hands on the table and starts to reach out, but instead gets up to fill their coffee cups. When he returns with their drinks the ache in Dean’s chest is painful. He finds himself envious of the mug Cas holds and can’t bring himself to look at the angel’s eyes. Dean thought that he’d feel better once Cas stayed. He can’t figure out why he feels worse than when there was a constant absence boring a hole into him.

“Dean?” Cas’s voice is filled with concern.

Dean knows he’s stayed quiet too long, but he can’t think of anything to say. He takes a sip of his coffee and finally meets Cas’s eyes. Dean chest constricts and he drops his hands from the mug.

“Dean, talk to me.”

“Cas,” Dean drops his eyes and studies his coffee. “It’s nothing man. You need anything? For your animals or whatever.” Dean chances a glance at the angel. The concern in Cas’s eyes breaks Dean’s heart.

“We’re fine, thank you. How are you?”

“Fine.” Dean answers refusing to look up.

“That’s not true.” Cas’s gravelly voice is accompanied by a hesitant hand covering Dean’s.

Dean flinches, wondering if he should pull his hand back. If he allows himself this touch he’s sure it’ll hurt more in the long run when Cas leaves again. As Dean’s mind races with scenarios, Cas’s hand is unmoving. Dean reasons that it’s just one hand, it can be brushed off as just a tap a friend would give a friend. Cas has always had a personal space problem.

As Cas slips a second hand under Dean’s, sandwiching their fingers together, Dean swallows thickly. His pulse accelerates as he chances a glance into those blue eyes.

Footsteps startle Dean and he quickly pulls away from Cas.

“Hey, there you are.” Sam strides in with his nose in a book. “I think I found a case.” He looks up and pauses. “Uh, I’ll come back.”

Before Sam can retreat Dean stands. “No need to, I’m just going to grab something in the garage. You guys get started.” Dean doesn’t look at either man before he quickly exits the room, leaving his mug on the table by Cas.

♡

It’s times like these that Dean idly wishes he smoked. Then he’d always have an excuse to leave the room. As he sits on a boulder outside the Bunker’s garage his mind wanders, pondering where he could find some weed. The cold from the stone seeps through Dean’s jeans and he shivers, deciding how long he can avoid the angel inside.

When Diana hobbles up to Dean, he confidently pats her head. “Nothin’ wrong with being stubborn eh?”

Both of them wince as the hinges on the nearby metal door screech.

“Seems like you’ve made friends.” Cas sits on the rock next to Dean.

“Yeah, she get’s me,” Dean laughs to himself.

Diana shuffles over to Cas’s feet and places a tiny paw on his leg. She looks up with a squeak. Cas nods and gently touches a finger to her head. Diana’s posture shifts. She looks more comfortable and allows Cas to remove the bandage. Once the tiny wrap is off her foot, Diana starts to bounce away. She pauses to look back at the men sitting together giving one more squeak before she disappears into the nearby shrubbery.

“Huh,” Dean watches the spot where Diana once stood.

“What?” Cas sets a hand down on the rock near Dean’s thigh, and Dean becomes hyper aware of their closeness.

“She changed her mind.” Dean slides a hand to the side of his leg. Their hands are so close he can feel heat radiating from Cas’s hand.

“Diana decided she was putting herself in needless pain.”

Dean nods. His heart hurts, wishing it was that easy. Shifting on the boulder, Dean decides to try an experiment. He scoots a little further away from Cas allowing space for his hand to rest on the rock next to the angel’s hand. Their pinkies touch.

Cas slides his hand over Dean’s, “I’m not going anywhere.”

Feeling a little squeeze from Cas’s hand, Dean breathes out in relief. As Dean relaxes his hand Cas laces their fingers together. They sit quietly, looking off into the distance for a number of minutes. Dean breathes slowly, feeling both calmed and elated.

When Dean shivers because of the cold rock Cas speaks up. “Would you like to go in to hear about the case Sam found? It’s really quite interesting.”

Dean nods, still not looking at Cas. It takes another gentle squeeze from Cas’s fingers to pull Dean’s eyes to the blue ones.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Cas repeats, sandwiching Dean’s fingers with his other hand.

Dean nervously licks his lips and nods again.

♡

Once inside the library, Dean only half listens to information about the case. His attention is focused under the table on the leg pressing onto his leg and the fingers threaded through his own.

In the moments of fear that creep into Dean’s mind, both enjoying and feeling guilty at Cas’s touch, Cas gives Dean’s hand an extra squeeze of comfort. Dean thinks he even catches a fond smile from his brother, though he tries to not look in that direction often. 

A look passes between Cas and Sam, Dean tries not to notice but it causes Sam to leave the room with, “I think I left some papers in my room. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Dean, still having an internal debate, reasons that maybe he was just putting himself in needless pain.

Cas turns to Dean and whispers, “Yes.” Before Dean realizes what’s happening, Cas lightly kisses Dean’s cheek.

“That wasn’t a prayer,” Dean states weakly.

“I’ve never needed a prayer to tell me how you’re feeling.” Cas whispers connecting their foreheads.

Dean closes his eyes and squeezes Cas’s hand. He’s never been so thankful for meeting a squirrel.


End file.
